Australian Centre for Financial Studies has partnered with ANZ Trustees to produce a newly digitalised database of Australian equities with a complete history of Australian listed company share prices and key financial ratios from 1966 to 1980.

Professor Deborah Ralston, Director of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies stated that the Australian Equities Database (AED) fills a large data gap which has long frustrated academic and industry researchers. Drawing on original sources, it provides in one place comprehensive financial statistics across the local share market. It covers an important period of our economic history which we will do well to understand as we review long term investment benchmarks and target returns.If people think recent times have been volatile, they shouuld take a look at the 1970’s.

The AED has already then been used by ACFS to undertake a review of possible investment strategies using varying policy criteria. At the annual ANZ Private & Trustees Secular Review, the Australian Centre for Financial Studies released its long term Australian equities research to ANZ Executives. The Research was commissioned by ANZ Trustees to assist with identifying long term trends and market opportunities.

Ralston added that once all historical data has been integrated with more recent series, AED will lend itself to becoming a vital long term portfolio modelling and trend analysis tool.

The Australian Centre for Financial Studies facilitates industry-relevant and rigorous research and consulting, thought leadership and independent commentary. Drawing on expertise from academia, industry and government, the Centre promotes excellence in financial services. The Centre specialises in leading edge finance and investment research, aiming to boost the global credentials of Australias finance industry; bridging the gap between research and industry and supporting Australia and Melbourne as an international centre for finance practice, research and education.

The Australian Centre for Financial Studies (previously known as the Melbourne Centre for Financial Studies) is a not-for-profit consortium of Monash University, the University of Melbourne, RMIT University and Finsia having commenced in 2005 with seed funding from the Victorian Government.